Description
This Easy Homemade Samoas recipe is a fun, nostalgic twist on the beloved Girl Scout cookie. Featuring a buttery shortbread base topped with caramel-toasted coconut and finished with rich dark chocolate, this copycat recipe is beginner-friendly and absolutely addictive.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Shortbread Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Topping
- 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
- 15 ounces soft caramels (store-bought or homemade)
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces dark chocolate (chips or chopped bar)
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then gradually mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
- Form and Chill: Add the milk and vanilla extract and continue mixing until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Roll and Cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough disk to ⅛ inch thick. Use round cutters to make donut shapes, then place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F and bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes until pale golden. Rotate the baking tray halfway through for even baking. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Toast the Coconut: Spread the shredded coconut on a baking sheet and toast it in the oven for 8–10 minutes at 350°F, stirring often to prevent burning. Set aside once golden and fragrant.
- Melt the Caramel: In a heat-safe bowl over simmering water or using the microwave in 30-second intervals, melt the caramels with milk and salt until smooth and pourable.
- Combine Topping: Stir three-quarters of the melted caramel into the toasted coconut, mixing well. Reserve the remaining caramel for assembling the cookies.
- Assemble the Cookies: Spread a small amount of the reserved caramel on each cookie, then gently press the caramel-coconut mixture on top. Reheat the mixture slightly if it becomes too firm.
- Dip and Drizzle with Chocolate: Melt the dark chocolate and dip the base of each cookie into it. Place cookies on wax or parchment paper, then use a fork to drizzle chocolate over the top.
Notes
- Let the dough rest for 10 minutes at room temperature if too firm to roll. If you don’t have round cutters, jar lids or small glasses work fine. Use milk chocolate for a sweeter twist or coconut oil to thin melted chocolate. Store cookies in a cool place to avoid chocolate smudging.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 162
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 62mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 11mg